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FAI pays tribute to Daryl Murphy upon retirement

FAI pays tribute to Daryl Murphy upon retirement

The Football Association of Ireland has paid tribute to Republic of Ireland forward Daryl Murphy following his retirement from international football.

27th Jan 2018

The 34-year-old, who made his senior debut in 2007, has decided to step away from the international scene following 33 appearances that included memorable goals against Serbia and Moldova in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Murphy featured in two games at EURO 2016 - the famous 1-0 win over Italy and the Last-16 battle with France - and was known for his power in the air, his teamwork and hard running, and his commitment to representing his country.

FAI CEO John Delaney feels that Murphy, who is still playing club football with Nottingham Forest in England, deserves any plaudits that come his way for his performances in an Ireland jersey.

"Daryl can be extremely proud of his international career with Ireland. From a young lad with Southend United in his native Waterford through to playing at EURO 2016, he went a long way and proved that he could compete on the biggest stage," said Delaney.

"It is a huge privilege to represent your country and Daryl always appreciated that. You could see how much it meant to him to play for Ireland - even when he had a six-year gap between caps; he never lost that desire to do his very best.

"It should not be forgotten that he also excelled in the League of Ireland with Waterford United before earning a move to Sunderland. That period helped to shape his senior career and I know that he is very proud of his roots.

"We would like to pay tribute to Daryl at the Aviva Stadium for his contribution to Irish football, at a time that is appropriate for him. Daryl and his family are welcome back to the Aviva Stadium at any time."

Ireland manager Martin O'Neill, who brought Murphy back into the international fold after a number of years on the outside, believes that the hard-working striker gave everything during his time with Ireland.

"Daryl did really well in the couple of years that I worked with him in the international set-up and he was always very professional," said O'Neill.

"He got to play in two very big matches at EURO 2016 and I'm sure the Italian game in Lille will be a big memory for him when he looks back on his days with Ireland.

"I wish him all of the best not just at club level but whatever he chooses to do after that."

Murphy played at underage level for Ireland before earning his first senior cap against Ecuador on a summer trip to the United States in 2007 and his final appearance was in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Play-Off defeat to Denmark in November 2017.

He has enjoyed a long club career with spells at Waterford United, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town, Celtic, Newcastle United, and, now, Nottingham Forest.